


Fire Emblem: Outrealmer Rewrite

by ManyWays



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Adventure, Canon Compliant, Drama, Fix-It, Gen, Light Angst, Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 05:21:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26467879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManyWays/pseuds/ManyWays
Summary: A disgruntled veteran soldier travels to the world of Awakening to continue his purpose, as his past and a vast conspiracy creep behind him. (Any feedback appreciated)
Kudos: 2





	1. A World in Flames

**Chapter 1: A World in Flames**

**Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is a video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems, published by Nintendo. I do not own any of the material apart from the original characters I created.**

**Special thanks to my beta readers Despol12 and ProfSrlojohn.**

* * *

Magnus was experiencing the biggest disappointment of his life.

After sailing across the ocean for days, all he found was a primitive stone archway. A far cry from the _legendary gateway_ he’d heard. It was supposed to connect to different worlds, enabling people to go wherever they wanted. In fact, many of the exotic artifacts in the black market originated from it. But after seeing it from his own eyes. He was, to put it mildly, skeptical.

“So, _this_ is the Outrealm Gate?” He narrowed his eyes at the red-haired girl.

“Absolutely!” she chirped, “This is the gate of legends. Throughout history, all sorts of famous heroes and great treasures came from it. If you want to go somewhere, just let me know and I’ll send you there no problem!”

He circled around the gate. Eager to find any flaws, any evidence to prove this was an obvious scam. But he stopped when he noticed a glowing blue light emerged at its centre. He’s seen many things during the War. Yet nothing like that. He wanted to think that was just another clever trick. But he’d come so far already. Everything depended on this mythical gateway.

He clenched his teeth. “Fine. Send me to a world in the middle of some war. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s involved. All I care is that it needs soldiers like me.”

She tilted her head. “Why? Haven’t you had enough war already?”

He chuckled. “That’s none of your business. Anyway, this should be more than enough.”

He dropped the sack from his shoulder, revealing a massive pile of coins. They formed a shiny, golden puddle as they poured out. He didn’t like giving all his life savings away like this. But it was probably the only way that he could ever have a taste of battle again. Besides, they’d be useless wherever he was going.

Her face brightened as she broke into a grin. But then she muttered, “Well…I don’t think that’s enough—”

“What?! But that’s all I have! What more do you want?!” He pulled out his sword and marched towards her.

“Whoa, calm down, mister! It ain’t cheap to maintain this gate! But it doesn’t have to be money. Anything valuable would suffice.” She pointed at him. “Just give me your armour and sword.”

His hand loosened. He could understand why she’d want his plate armour. But he was confused why she’d want his sword. It was an old blade—an army-issued Bastard sword he received when he first enlisted. Its wooden grip was warped in thick, battered leather strips. Small scratches scattered on its dull silver surface. But it remained razor-sharp—he tirelessly made sure of it.

“Do you want my shield too?” He forced a smile.

“Well…”

He pointed his sword at her throat. “Fuck off! Take the gold or else. Your choice.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re driving a hard bargain, mister.”

And so a staring contest began. They conjured their fiercest expressions to force the other to yield. Unfortunately, only one of them was at serious risk. After a few minutes of silence, she threw her hands up.

“Fine! We have a deal!”

He smiled as he sheathed his sword. “Good.”

She gestured him to follow. When they stood beside the gate, she started to fiddle with some buttons and switches. The glowing blue light flickered and droned. He covered his ears instinctively until the sound disappeared. The gate was now radiating a bright crimson red.

“Alright!” She wiped away the sweats from her forehead. “Just step inside.”

Magnus stopped just a few inches away from the sea of crimson and took a deep breath. His goal was finally within his grasp. He reached into the portal. Only to be sucked into it. His body weakened, and his mind faded. Before he completely blacked out, he heard one final word.

“Idiot.”

* * *

It was obvious that something was amiss. As soon as Magnus stepped out of the portal, he was greeted with a flying axe. It grazed his shoulder plate and smashed into the tree behind him. He quickly pulled out his sword to face his assaulter. To his surprise, it wasn’t a person but a creature with violet eyes. Its entire left arm was covered in armour. Unknown liquid leaked out from its pores. And with a rotten smell so hideous that he covered his nose unconsciously. After letting out a terrifying howl, it charged towards him with another axe.

In response, he pulled his sword back. His eyes focused on his target. When he was close enough to see its decaying face, he swung his sword in a wide circle—splitting its head in half. The creature stumbled for a moment, before falling over and turning into dark dust.

But it wasn’t over. More howls appeared in the nearby forest—hundreds if not thousands of them. He wanted to be a soldier, not a martyr. After sheathing his sword, he bolted.

Yet no matter how many burnt fields he’s passed, they kept up. Like savage beasts hunting for their prey. After a few hours, they began shooting arrows. Some found their marks. He’d had died many times over if it wasn’t for the shield on his back.

“Piss off! Don’t you guys have better things to do?!” he yelled but received only feral groans.

When he turned around, he found himself heading towards a large, ruined city. The streets were abandoned, and the buildings were either damaged or collapsed. He couldn’t help but shudder from the sight. However, he now had a way to lose them.

As soon as he entered the main street, he immediately made a sharp turn and rushed into an alley. They tried to follow, but he scaled a few walls and took more turns. When he’s finally lost them temporarily, he dashed into a nearby building and hid. Mere seconds after closing the door, the monstrous groans were outside. He clamped onto his sword as they came closer and closer. But, like a true miracle, the sound faded.

He slid down against the door. His hand still clenched onto his sword. It wasn’t until much later when he caught himself mumbling that nonsense again.

“I’m still alive. That’s all it matters. I’m still alive. That’s all it matters. I’m—”

He let out a deep sigh. There were more pressing matters to worry about. He steadied his legs and inspected the place. Apparently, it used to be a store. Scrape metals, ropes, tools, and all sorts of rubbish were scattered about. He opened a yellowed book close by. The words were somewhat recognizable. But he still promptly threw it away.

“Nope. Still can’t read.” He chuckled.

Eventually, he found an old but readable map. The front side had two continents with small islands around them. The one on the left was labelled “Valm” while the right “Ylisse”. “Ylisse” had three labels: “Ylisse” again on the Southeast, “Regna Ferox” on the North, and “Plegia” on the Southwest. While he was glad to know this world's general geography, he hoped for something more specific. He turned it over and found a local map—titled “Ylisstol”.

However, that didn’t mean he was at Ylisstol. He went outside the second-floor window and scaled the outer walls. Whenever he made a noise, he’d stop and check the surroundings. Once everything returned to normal, he continued until he reached the roof.

He surveyed around for landmarks. “Let’s see… The church is on the left. That tall building on the right… Wait, is that a castle?”

It was, indeed, a castle. It resided on a hill, surrounded by massive walls and towers. A wide metal gate rested in the centre. But no matter how much he squinted, he couldn’t tell if the castle was occupied or not.

He sat and weighed his options. On the one hand, it could be filled with those creatures, ready to tear him apart. Not to mention he’d have to pass through the swarm on the streets below.

But on the other hand, he wouldn’t survive long if he stayed. He had neither the security nor the supply. After hearing more howls, he decided to go.

Not yet, however. He rechecked the blood-red sky. The sun was already creeping behind the faraway mountains. So, it wouldn’t be long before dark. He hurried back inside the building and prepared for what may very well be his last journey.

* * *

Magnus wondered why he was gazing at the starless sky. He wouldn’t recognize any constellations anyway. Perhaps it was a force of habit. Perhaps it’d be relaxing to see the stars. Or perhaps…

“No,” he uttered, “No…”

He sheathed his dagger and stuffed his makeshift hook into his single strap backpack. It would’ve been easier if he threw away the bags of healing herbs and survival kits. But he’d only feel agitated for the rest of the journey. When he peeked through the broken window, there was no sign of those creatures. When the door squeaked open, still nothing—just some roaring and vivid red-orange lights in the distance. He couldn’t even find a single one while he was sneaking towards the castle. A terrifying thought appeared. But he reassured himself it was only speculation.

When he arrived at the castle, he was amazed by how shabby it was. Thick vines scaled up the grey walls through the holes of missing bricks. The gate was so rusty that even a single strike from a battering ram could break it. However, a crumbling castle was still a castle. A secure place he could hide in. He hurled his hook on top of the wall. After several yanks, he climbed up. His plan has worked perfectly. Until he realized the castle wasn’t vacant. There were lighted torches on the inner walls. Footprints were all over the courtyard. Most of them were between the inner castle door and the courtyard well. He considered retreat. But he could feel something was about to happen. Something he could only survive if he stayed.

He climbed down the wall. “Well! That wasn’t—”

“INTRUDER!” The shout came from a nearby tower.

Dozens of soldiers burst open the inner door and circled him. Magnus couldn’t believe what he saw—scraggy soldiers surrounded him with improvised armours and hunting spears. It took them dozens of seconds to form an acceptable encirclement. He now understood why the castle seemed abandoned.

But this could all be a clever deception. He raised his arms up and pleaded, “Wait! I’m just looking for a place to hide! Don’t kill me, please!”

Their confused looks plummeted his suspicion. But then a blue hair woman stepped forward. He instinctively knew she was their leader. Apart from striding towards him in complete confidence, her clothes were too fancy for a common soldier. Not to mention the ceremonial sword she was carrying—a longsword with a distinct tear-shaped hole at its cross-guard. While he remained vigilant, he was slightly bemused to find a captain younger than him.

“Who are you?” she asked.

He maintained his demeanour. “My name is Magnus Silver. I’m the only survivor of my village. Those…things killed everyone, took everything from me. I’ve been running for my life ever since. Please, I just want to live!”

There was a brief silence. He cursed himself for overdoing it. But whether it was skill or luck, it worked.

“I’m sorry for what you’ve been through.” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe here.”

“Thank you! Thank you!” He bowed. “How should I call you, my saviour?”

Her face changed. “I’m surprised you don’t know. I’m Lucina, Princess of the Halidom of Ylisse.”

The hand on his shoulder tightened. “Tell me. Where was your village?”

“It was…a small village. But! If you head North and pass the bridge… And then head East, you—”

“RISEN! THEY’RE HERE!” The watchman’s terrified yell interrupted them.

She pulled out her sword. “Gods! Everyone, secure the courtyard! Don’t let them breakthrough!”

She let out a battle cry as they charged. Risen were already on top of the walls before they arrived. They jumped down with their weapons drawn, cutting some poor souls in half. The soldiers shouted in unison and pierced them with their spears. Their faces filled with fear and desperation. Lucina was particularly fierce. She stuck down several of them with a single strike, defending herself against multiple Risen simultaneously. When they surrounded her, she simply leapt into the air and impacted the ground with a spinning attack, knocking them backwards. More soldiers headed outside as the battle continued. But their valiant effort mattered little against the unrelenting horde. Amidst all the chaos, stood Magnus with his hand raised.

“Eh, what about me?”

Right on cue, an axe swung to his face. He immediately sidestepped and tripped the Risen. When it tried to turn over, its head was rolling across the ground.

“Oh, don’t mind me,” he sneered.

With his great helm on, he lunged towards two unsuspected Risen. A quick slash to its back before thrusting his sword into the other one. Three other Risen charged at him. When one of them tried to stab him with its spear, he dodged to the side and cut off its head. He pushed the other Risen away after blocking it, giving him just enough time to evade a strike from another Risen. Before the fallen Risen could recover, its companion was already legless and headless. It delivered a succession of slashes in retaliation. But Magnus parried all of them, before impaling his sword between its eyes.

“Fall back! Fall back to the castle!” Someone screamed from the castle door.

But he, along with some wounded soldiers, was isolated. Magnus didn’t care—this wouldn’t be his first time. But the soldiers? Their fighting spirits were unwavering. Yet their numbers still dwindled.

Suddenly, the walls were blasted open, crushing both soldiers and Risen alike. When the dust settled, Magnus pushed the stones away and rose to his feet. When he took off his dented helmet, he saw it—a flying eldritch horror with the size of a mountain. Its luminous blood-red eyes stared into his soul. Its unearthly voice pierced his spirit.

“Mankind has fallen!” It let out a deafening cry. “The past cannot be undone! There is no future for mankind!”

The ground trembled as it moved. More and more Risen dropped from the walls. Some even started throwing torches at the castle. Most of his _allies_ were gone. There was no way he could survive.

At least, not on the surface.

He immediately jumped down into the well. He tried to break his fall with his limbs. But it tore some of his skin off. When the ground shook, rocks fell into the well. He submerged as deep as he could, for as long as he could. But some still hit him, bruising his whole body. Up above, the screams and pleas of the soldiers filled the burning courtyard. Then, only the howls remained. Their loyal services were ended in such a fleeting time. But for him, it was going to be a very long night.

* * *

“One… Two…. One… Two…”

The scorching heat died down several hours ago. There has been nothing since. No howls. No birds. Not even a single gust of wind. Just silence.

“One… Tw—Shit! Okay… One… Two…”

Drenched, ravenous, and exhausted, Magnus started to suspect that using the gateway wasn’t a bright idea. But what choice did he have? He tried to stay. He tried to change. For an entire year even. Yet he still felt restless and lost—this was his only solution.

“One… Two… On—HAGJKSDJ!”

In the end, the grey sky was above him again. The once somewhat pleasing walls were burnt into charred black. Same as the bodies scattered around. The smell of burnt and rotten flesh still lingered in the courtyard.

He spat out the soaked healing herbs and laughed drily. “Huh, barbeque. Cool.”

“…I’ll be going now, Mother… Father…”

He froze. Not only shouldn’t there be any survivors, but he also recognized that voice. He looked at the castle door and saw Lucina exiting, plodding away with her lifeless eyes. She was so lost in her thoughts that she couldn’t even hear him limping towards her.

“Excuse me, princess.” He attempted a friendlier approach.

Before he knew it, a sword was next to his neck. Her eyes widened in shock. “Magnus? How?!”

“Well, _well_.” He pointed at the well.

He started to worry when she was still holding her sword up.

“That’s impossible!” she rebuked, “I barely escaped with my life! Just who are you?!”

“Look.” He tried to push away her sword but no luck. “I’m not one of those Risen. I’m just a refugee looking for a haven. If you want to kill me, fine. But the fact I’m still alive should tell you I can handle anything. Please, let me help you.”

Her expression remained intense. But her sword has drifted slightly away.

Magnus sighed. “Okay, you don’t need to trust me right now. I’ll prove it to you. Just give me a chance.”

The stalemate lasted for a while. His legs were starting to give way when she finally sheathed her sword.

“Alright. But I’ll keep an eye on you,” she warned.

He nodded. “My loyalty lies with you, Princess Lucina.”

Just a few words, perhaps. But he meant every bit of it.

“Please, call me Lucina.”

Magnus raised his eyebrows. She was probably the only royalty who wasn’t obsessed with titles. But her observation skill needed further refinement in his mind—she only noticed his wounded leg just then.

“You should get some rest,” she commented.

“Is it safe here?”

“No.”

“Then let’s go.”

* * *

Apart from the watchful gaze from Lucina, the journey to Mount Prism was quite uneventful. Magnus was more worried about his leg than conversing. But Lucina was eager to explain her plan. Apparently, they were going to save her father, Chrom. His death was the catalyst to all this chaos. The Fell Dragon, Grima became unstoppable and brought destruction to this world. Unfortunately, the only way of stopping him was the Awakening—a ritual that required a shield called the Fire Emblem with all five of its Gemstones. Throughout the years, she and her companions searched desperately. But one Gemstone was gone forever. All hope was lost until the Divine Dragon, Naga advised Lucina that she could send them back in time to prevent Grima’s resurrection. Thus saving this world. Her allies would be joining them near the Temple. Or so she’d hoped.

Magnus thought she’d completely lost it. While the flying behemoth back in the castle was real enough, this talk about magic was simply nonsense. Some hogwash you’d hear from a drunkard. But truth or not, she was his captain. And that was all.

When they arrived, he experienced tranquillity for the first time in this world. The vibrant green grasses brushed his knees. Crystal clear water racing down a cascade, forming a relaxing sound. And he swore he caught the scent of fragrant wildflowers nearby.

“We’ve made it. To our rendezvous…” she announced. They surveyed around and found nothing. No Risen but certainly no allies.

“Nobody’s here!” she cried as she dropped to the ground. Magnus moved his hand above her but retracted it at the last moment.

He sighed. “Oh well, so much for—”

A howl sent chills down his spine. More and more Risen gradually rose from the ground.

She wiped away her tears, “Risen! I can’t believe it…They’ve spread this far?!”

Magnus eagerly grabbed his sword. But she stopped him.

“Wait! You’re in no condition to fight!”

“Like hell I’d miss a battle.” He discarded his walking stick and laboriously unsheathed his sword. “Don’t worry. ‘Tis but a scratch.”

Lucina tried to protest, but a Risen interrupted her. She rolled away and slashed its chest. With a battle cry, she charged towards a group of Risen. Even though they surrounded her, she span and immediately turned them all into black dust. One of them threw an axe. But she promptly caught it and returned it.

Not to be outdone, Magnus sidestepped an attack and disarmed the Risen, literally. Then he swung his sword up and severed its head. When a Risen tried to overpower his block, he changed it into a parry and struck its shoulder. Before it could scream, half of its face was already gone.

“One after another!” she yelled as she swung her sword in a whirlwind of attacks. With her unnatural swordsmanship, Magnus thought they were going to survive. Until he realized she had…stopped. Utterly ignorant of the Risen creeping behind her.

He hobbled as fast as he could. “What the hell are you doing?! Look out!”

He raised his sword to deflect an attack. But the mace still landed on his chest with a loud cracking sound. Something had broken in him. And it wasn’t his spirit. When he fell, the Risen continued its attack. But he quickly threw a rock. It landed straight into its eye. While it was distracted, he crawled away as fast as he could. He’d hoped the tall grass would hide him. But it simply followed his blood trail. He threw another rock—dodged. It seemed smug until he hurled his dented helmet. Now it looked furious. It bashed his chest again. And again. And again. Each strike propelled more blood from his mouth. As he watched helplessly, a flying shadow zoomed past them. And a sword pierced through the Risen’s torso.

As the dust flew away, a girl with long twin tails and a shoulder shield stood in front of him. She reached out her hand and asked, “Hey, are you al—Oh my God! Help!”

When Magnus opened his eyes again, a group of young soldiers has circled around him. One of them was a horrified Lucina. He realized they must be the allies she’s been mentioning.

He laughed weakly. “You guys…so…fucking late…”

A man with a scar over his eye sat next to him. He put down his fancy stave and yelled, “You hear me? You ain’t dyin’ today! I won’t let ya!”

“Yeah…right…”

He raised his stave. A soothing, green aura engulfed Magnus. His bleeding stopped, his pain subsided, and the number of people in front of him halved. He stood up in awe by this miracle. 

“Oh, thanks,” he said sheepishly, “Let’s forget that ever happened.”

“It ain’t a cure. You watch yourself.”

“…Sure.”

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!”

Magnus turned around and found Lucina stomping towards him. He was glad she seemed uninjured. After all, it was his duty to protect her.

He dusted his helmet indifferently. “Look, you were in danger. It’s my job to—”

She grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently. “Don’t ever do this again! Understand?!”

“Ehm, Lucina? I think he’s dying,” A girl with pointy ears remarked.

A pale Magnus fell again. “…I’ll just lie down for a bit.”

“Who is he anyway?” A woman in an enormous armour asked.

Lucina answered, “He’s a survivor from the castle.”

“Wait, a survivor?!”

Magnus shrugged. “Yeah. I’m kind of good with that.”

An introduction was in order. Magnus began by sharing his _tragic past_. How he braved against all the odds and survived under a well. Most seemed mesmerized by his story. And those who weren’t, remained silent. Then it was their turn. They introduced themselves as life-long companions and friends of Lucina’s. Their parents had all met a similar fate when they were still young. So, it was up to them to save this dying world. Magnus was uneasy around them. Not only were their mounts strange creatures, but some could also turn into beasts. It was now evident to him that he was in a whole new world.

While it was happening, they had a tearful reunion. Lucina was grateful that they’d appeared. She remarked that they were her source of resolve. There was then a matter of picking a mask. Apparently, the Brand of the Exalt on her eye would attract too much attention. It led to a brief discussion about her fashion sense. Their shared affections and strong bonds reminded Magnus of his old unit. And he hated that.

Suddenly, an earthquake. Rocks started to fall from the Temple. Numerous portals appeared in the sky, raining more and more Risen. They immediately rushed towards them, hungry for blood.

“The Temple!” Owain shouted.

They prepared themselves for another battle. But Lucina stopped them. “No…there’s no need to engage. After all, the Temple is about to crumble. Before that happens, we must all charge through.”

“Got it! Come on, Lucina!” Inigo yelled, “I’ll serve as the rearguard. Please go on ahead!”

Nah gasped, “Understood!”

“I’ll help you,” Magnus said.

“No.” Lucina glared at him. “YOU stay with us.”

“But... Sigh, of course.”

Lucina reminded them one last time. “Are we clear? Keep the Emblem and the Gemstones out of the enemy’s hands. Stop Emmeryn’s assassination. And our fate…is certain to change. We’ll change it, for sure. With our very own hands!”

They all agreed in unison. As the Temple was falling apart, they ran inside as quickly as they could. Lucina and the others disappeared in a ray of light. But when Magnus approached, a green, pale lady appeared. She blocked his path with a look of disdain. He was wondering why a courtesan was here until she glowered.

“Begone, Outrealmer.”

“Wha—”

She pointed at him and blasted him away, straight through the collapsing entrance. The impact caused him to cough out some blood. When he rose back to his feet, he realized his way out has been sealed. But there was little time to think. The ground trembled as the Risen advanced. The calming sound of the waterfall was replaced by legions of heavy footsteps and piercing howls. There was nothing in the air but a rotting smell. He quickly grabbed the shield on his back and rested against a wall. With his broken helmet on, he glared at the unending horde.

“So it begins.”

The first one ran straight into his sword. He struck another down while blocking with his shield. An ax-wielding Risen collided with him. But he retaliated by bashing it with the pommel. He made a full swing, decapitating two of them. A Risen thrust its spear. Only to be parried and cut down by a counterattack. His arm quivered when different strikes hit his shield. But he endured and shoved them away. Magnus knew this was the end. So, he didn’t care about conserving his energy. With a ferocious cry, he made a rapid chain of attacks. Dozens of bodies fell. Though the little breathing space he’d created was gone before he knew it.

Then something happened. The Risen started to step away from him. But he didn’t realize it until a lightning bolt hit him. His muscles tensed as something surged through his body. When he was drooling and twitching on the ground, a hooded child approached him. He closed his tome and kicked Magnus in his stomach.

“Who are you?” His voice was as cold as ice.

“W—Why do—o…you c—care?”

“I know everyone in Lucina’s group. In fact, I know everyone in that pathetic castle. But you? I don’t know you.” He crouched down next to him. “So let me ask again: Who. Are. You?”

“No…body i—important…”

“I’ll be the judge of that.” The boy opened his tome again. Sparks began to form in his hand.

Magnus wiggled his toes and fingers. His limbs were still stiff but movable. All he needed was more time.

“Y—You know…you still have a lot to learn.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. For one, you REALLY shouldn’t be this close to an enemy.”

Before he could react, Magnus punched him in his nose. He tried to use the tome again. But Magnus flung it away with his sword. He slashed again, but the boy blocked it with his short blade. They exchanged a few more blows as the Risen surrounded them. Much to Magnus’s surprise, they reached a stalemate. The boy was masterful. He countered his every attack, identified his every feint. Even his footwork was solid. But far more concerning, his swordsmanship was eerily familiar.

Magnus pushed him away. “You’re pretty good. Who taught you that?”

The boy readjusted his stance. “Shut up!”

He dashed towards Magnus. But it left an opening. Magnus parried his sword to the side before kneeling in his belly. He dropped his sword in pain. But when Magnus raised his sword, a Risen interfered. The others quickly joined in. He fought hopelessly until he noticed the boy took another tome from his bag.

“Oh no you don’t!” Magnus disengaged and rushed towards him.

But it was too late. The boy released a gust of wind, propelling him directly onto the Temple wall. A cracking noise again. He flung off his helmet and vomited a large pool of blood. He tried to get up. But it felt as if a building had collapsed on him. All he could do was to watch the boy inching towards him.

“Oh well, I tried...” He sighed.

He relaxed his body. His vision became snow-white before turning into pitch dark.


	2. A Kingdom of Snow

**Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is a video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems, published by Nintendo. I do not own any of the material apart from the original characters I created.**  
**Special thanks to my beta reader Despol12.**

* * *

“Where am I?”

Magnus opened his eyes. He found himself buried inches deep in snow. At first, he thought it was all a hallucination. A delirious vision while he was bleeding to death. But that wouldn’t explain the chilling cold. Or the fact he wasn’t in pain anymore. He unsteadily rose to his feet and surveyed around. Pure, undisturbed snow covered the entire landscape. Tiny snowflakes fell gently on his scattered equipment. There was no sign of Risen or that boy. Just the howling wind and the rumbling sound of his belly. He wanted to rest for a moment. But the biting wind urged him to move. After gathering his stuff, he hiked to the highest point. It was a difficult trek. Not only did the deep snow slowed him down, but it also concealed the surroundings almost perfectly. He quickly pulled himself back when he almost fell off a ledge. He was on top of an unknown mountain. Ridges of snowy hills surrounded him. The bright sun peeked from behind a faraway mountain. At a distance, a wall cut across the land for as far as he could see. With several forts at each interval.

His eyes widened in shock. He shakily took out his map as his eyes focused on a single name: Regna Ferox. The enormous mountainous country in the North. According to the map, its border with Ylisse was divided by a great wall. Such as the one he was seeing. A billion questions appeared in his mind. But there was a more pressing concern. He took one more look at the sun. He suspected that he might have a quarter of a day or so before nightfall. But that was no time at all. He quickly moved down the mountain as pain shot up his legs. He must now survive the unforgiving winter of Ferox.

* * *

Magnus sighed as he rested against a giant tree. It was sheer luck that he managed to build this temporary shelter before the storm hit. He shifted his body away from the gaps as the chilling wind howled outside. The small fire he’d made was the only thing keeping him warm. And illuminating the darkness surrounding him.

With great effort, he unwrapped the leather bag around his feet. His toes were still blue and cold. He tried to wiggle them but felt nothing but pain. He ate more of his healing herbs. His face twisted as he swallowed. But he knew they’d relieve the pain, eventually. He re-covered his feet and swung them away from the fire. A burning smell caught his attention. He immediately grabbed the stick above the flame. Most of his snare traps were fruitless. However, he managed to catch a mouse. With the size of his palm. After inspecting the slightly charred meat, he took a bite. His eyes began to water from its bitterness. But he endured. Even though his growling stomach demanded more, the meat was already gone. As he leaned against the dirty, prickly tree, his eyelids started to close slowly. A few more seconds later, he’d find himself in an eternal slumber. But that never came to be as he snapped himself awake.

“The fire. I need to keep an eye on the fire.” he thought.

He consumed his last supply of herbs and shifted towards the fire. As he continued to fuel the dying fire, a question burnt within him.

“Seriously, what the hell happened?”

* * *

When dawn came, the blizzard has subdued slightly. But a sheet of whiteness still obscured his vision. Magnus dragged his numb legs across the knee-deep snow. Each step became more difficult than the last. His every breath formed a white mist through the gaps of his dented helmet. He shakily held his arms as close to his body as possible. Yet, any warmth was already long gone. He knew he was heading in the right direction. After all, he had a compass in his survival kit. But even so, he had no idea how far the fort was. Not only was the quality of the map questionable, but it also used an unknown measurement system. If it was similar to his, he estimated that it'd only take half a day at most. But he was, evidently, wrong.

Dawn became dusk. Dusk became night. But only an endless field of snow for as far as he could see. With a loud groan, he kicked his leg up one last time. Only to slip and fall on his shoulder. While the pain was excruciating, he realized something: he didn’t fall on the snow. The ground around him was also relatively smooth. As if it was a well-maintained road. He turned his head and found warm, yellow colors at a distance. They gradually grew in size and number. The slight vibrations of the ground also intensified. With the little strength he had, he pushed himself up and hid behind a rock.

They were a trail of torches. People with exotic outfits were marching alongside their wagons. They covered themselves as much as possible. Though some seemed completely oblivious to the chilling cold. He wondered if they were soldiers. No commoner would brave such weather. But some of them had little to no armor. While caution had served him well, he wouldn’t survive without help.

“Hey!” he shouted as he weakly waved his arms. He tried to approach them himself. But he fell flat on his face instead. When someone rolled him over, he saw a young, concerned blonde girl. His eyes brightened. Not that he found her breathtaking, but he recognized her stave. She raised it, and the familiar green aura surrounded him. He was growing quite fond of it.

“Chrom! We’ve found someone.” he heard a shout.

Another one yelled, “Don’t ya worry. Here comes the Vaike!”

Two more people arrived and carried him into a wagon. The immediate lack of the gale was a godsend. He quickly covered himself with a fur blanket nearby. While he was astonished by his fortune, that name echoed in his mind: Chrom. The dead father of his captain. He initially thought it must be a coincidence. “Chrom” must be more common than he’d assumed. But then he remembered the portal. About Lucina’s plan. He became more certain when a young man entered, followed by an armored soldier and a woman with silver hair. The young man’s blue hair and complexion shared an uncanny resemblance to Lucina’s.

The blue-haired man immediately kneeled close to Magnus and asked, “Gods, are you alright?”

“N-No. Not really.” Magnus shakily replied.

“What were you doing in this blizzard?” the woman asked.

“I was out hunting. But I got lost on the way back.” Magnus immediately regretted his words.

The armored man frowned, “Hunting? I didn’t know a hunter would need a full plated armor. Not to mention a shield.”

“I…Sorry, I meant I was hunting for my dinner. I’m a mercenary. Not a hunter,” Magnus’s mind raced for a distraction, “But that’s not important. You’ve saved my life. I’m forever in your debt. What’s your name?”

The older soldier tried to question further, but the young man interrupted, “My name is Chrom. This is Frederick, and that’s Robin.”

“Thank you, Chrom. I’m Magnus,” he hesitated briefly, “It’s good to finally meet the Shepherds.”

Chrom seemed surprised. “You’ve heard of us?”

“Of course. Who wouldn’t have heard of you?” Magnus smiled. But he was screaming inside. Not only did it confirm he’d traveled back in time, but also by sheer luck, he’s found his target. But how? The Temple collapsed before he could enter the portal. He was fighting to his death with those Risen and that boy. If he’d gone back in time, where were Lucina and the others?

But those questions would have to wait. He’s remained silent for too long.

Magnus bobbed his head side to side. “Sorry, I’m feeling a bit dizzy. Can we talk tomorrow?”

“Of course. Get some rest. Lissa will tend to you.” Chrom replied.

He gently shoved the scowling Frederick out of the wagon. Robin, meanwhile, took one more glance at him before leaving the two alone. While Magnus didn’t want to leave himself defenseless to an unfamiliar group, he was slowly drifting into sleep. After some consideration, he decided that he could, indeed, use some rest.

* * *

The unrelenting, burning pain woke him up. He gently massaged his legs, but that only worsened it. When his vision became clearer, he shielded his eyes from the blinding sunray. It’s made its way through the tiny holes on the canvas cover. The howling storm outside was replaced by a frosty winter breeze. He sluggishly glimpsed his bare legs. Most of the skin has returned to a healthy pinkish color. But most importantly, only two of his toes were gone. He breathed a sigh of relief and lay down again. It’s been a while since he last removed his armor. The lack of its bulkiness felt heavenly. Yet, a sense of unease still overwhelmed him. He hastily looked around for his armor. But the young girl caught his attention. She was leaning against her golden-brown stave. Dark circles surrounded her eyes as she increasingly rocked her head. But before she could slump onto the floor, Magnus woke her up with a slight cough.

She stretched her back and yawned widely. “Morning. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” he replied flatly, “Thanks for your help, Lissa.”

She smiled, “You’re welcome. Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat.”

“Thanks.”

She wobbled out of the wagon. As Magnus sat in silence, he found his armor pieces. They were at the far end of the wagon. A bit well-worn but still in a better condition than he’d thought. He laboriously crawled towards them and inspected his helmet. Much to his surprise, its dent was gone. Someone has polished it as well. He couldn’t help but think, “How long was I out?”

A scent of hearty stew filled the air. The aroma immediately lifted his spirit and awakened his stomach. He was in a state of bliss when Lissa returned. But he gasped in horror when she nearly dropped the large bowl. She hurried to re-cover him with a blanket. While lecturing him about not resting as he should, Magnus devoured the stew. In a rapid fashion of gulps and quaffs. It burnt his mouth and fingers, but he cared little. Lissa tried to interject, but she couldn’t. Instead, she simply frowned and placed the unused spoon down. Only after he lowered his empty bowl when he felt a bit awkward. A much younger girl was looking after him. But given the circumstance, he wasn’t going to complain.

He wiped his mouth. “How long was I out?”

“A few days. You were so weak I wasn’t even sure you’d make it. What happened?!”

Magnus sighed, “Let’s just say it’s been nothing but trouble since I got here.”

“Well, you need to be more careful. The winters in Ferox can be very dangerous. You…”

He stopped listening. Those questions haunted him again. After recollecting his thoughts, his main concern was regrouping with Lucina. While he didn’t know where she was, he recalled her plan. In that case, the best way of finding them would be staying close to Chrom. But he couldn’t accompany the Shepherds for no apparent reason. They’d most likely drop him off in the next town or city. There was also the issue about that retainer, Frederick. He remembered the way Frederick glared at him. The way he tightened his grip to his lance when Chrom was visiting him. Staying as a helpless commoner wouldn’t work. But what if as a fellow Shepherd?

“Actually, are you hiring?” he interrupted.

“Huh? Well, we’re always looking. But you’ll have to ask my brother.”

“Where is he?”

“I guess at the front. He should be discussing our next move with Robin.” she yawned.

Magnus stood up and started putting on his armor. Pain shot across his body as he strapped them together. It took a bit longer as they seemed slightly looser.

A few groans later, he was half ready. But a sleep-deprived Lissa has finally comprehended what was happening.

“Wait! You need to get some rest!” she shouted.

He ignored her while making some final checks.

She tried to block his way. “I’m serious! You’re still very weak. You won’t last long if you leave right now. Why don’t you just wait?!”

“Look, I don’t like to delay things. I’m well enough, and that’s final,” he answered as he forced his way through, “Don’t worry. I can handle myself.”

He fell out of the wagon. A loud thud followed by some muffled groans. Miraculously, he fell on his shoulder again. After a brief rolling on the ground, he sheepishly pushed himself up. Part of him wanted to blame on the uneven surface. But he knew better. He quickly brushed the snow off his armor. Completely aware of Lissa’s much-annoyed stare behind him.

“Told you.” she muttered.

“Shut up.”

He was about to hobble away. But such a commotion has attracted several soldiers. They offered to carry him back to the wagon. But he flatly refused. While Magnus was ignoring them, he spotted a massive armored soldier. He greeted him like he did with the others. But his startled reaction puzzled Magnus.

Eventually, He approached the opened tent. Chrom, Robin, and Frederick were looking at a yellowed map. He could hear the trio was discussing about a tournament. Something about assigning the fighters.

“All the more reason!” Magnus thought. After straightened up his back, he confidently announced himself. But they were more interested in something else.

“Magnus? Shouldn’t you be resting?” Robin asked worryingly.

“Sure. But there’s something I want to talk about,” he turned his head, “Chrom, I want to join the Shepherds.”

* * *

It was evident that they were surprised. But Robin in particular, for some reason. Nevertheless, a discussion was still in order. Chrom was happy to accept any recruit as they come. And this time wasn’t going to be an exception. But Frederick protested. He proposed a trial to test if Magnus was a “Shepherd material.” An ineffective deterrent as he accepted immediately. It was supposed to be held after his recovery. But Magnus decided to spar right away. Despite the concerns of almost everyone else.

On a snowless field, surrounded by an agog audience, they fought. It was a brief fight. Frederick’s strikes were masterful. His swings whistled across the air. And his thrusts always threatened the gaps of Magnus’s armor. But Magnus held. In those few minutes, Magnus noticed several openings: Frederick leaned slightly too far backward. His eyes always twitched whenever he swung to his right. But Magnus’s body stiffened and ached before he could react. Out of desperation, he lunged at Frederick. He pushed Frederick’s sword aside and tried to tackle him. But whether by skill or instinct, Frederick thwacked Magnus’s helmet. The loud bang nauseated him, and he collapsed.

“I’m alright. I’m alright!” Magnus shouted.

Frederick lowered his blunted sword. “I wasn’t aware Ferox would teach such a technique.”

“I may be a merc in Ferox, but I’m not from Ferox. I learnt that during my travels.” Magnus lied.

“Then where did you come from, pray tell?”

“No idea. I was born in a caravan. Everywhere was my home.”

“How convenient.”

“Peace, Frederick,” Chrom interrupted, “Even with his injuries, he was able to defend himself for quite some time. We could use a capable warrior like him.”

Frederick frowned, “Please reconsider, milord. Everything is wrong about him. Even more so than our new tactician.”

“Frederick is right,” Robin added, “He may seem eager. But there’s something…off about him. He told us he lost his way in the blizzard. But now he wants to join us. What changed?”

Magnus knew it wasn’t going to be easy. He, too, would be distrustful if an unknown mercenary showed up from nowhere. But he could never get as close to Chrom as possible without this. It was now or never.

He devised a reason while slowly standing up. “I know it’s hard to trust a stranger like me. But you see, I’ve been fighting for a very long time. I know a good fight when I see one. And I heard you Shepherds are an honorable bunch. If you don’t want me, so be it. But it’d be my greatest honor to fight alongside you. It’s up to you, of course.”

Magnus peeked at Frederick and Robin. While they seemed unconvinced, Chrom stopped them before they could argue.

“I understand your concerns. But he’s been through a lot to join us,” Chrom said as he glanced at Magnus’s feet, “Suspicious as he might be, I don’t think he means us any harm.”

Magnus winced when Chrom patted his shoulder.

“Welcome to the Shepherds.”


	3. Lost and Found

**Chapter 3: Lost and Found**

**Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is a video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems, published by Nintendo. I do not own any of the material apart from the original characters I created.**

**Special thanks to my beta reader Despol12.**

* * *

Normally, a recruit would be treated like any other member. In addition to their training, they'd receive daily jobs. Such as kitchen duty, foraging, patrolling, weapon maintenance, checking supplies, and whatnot. Regardless of their skills or experience. Some would even launch themselves into battles immediately. However, the first impression left by Magnus has caused some _mild_ concerns. After a brief discussion, they decided that he wouldn't receive any duties for a few days. A welcome decision, he thought. But he had one minor complaint.

Magnus stared blankly at the roof as he lay on his bed. He has been strictly ordered not to leave his bed until morning. Not even allowed to wander in his own tent. It seemed straightforward at first. His fur bed was far more comfortable than the hard ground during his army days. Not to mention that he was shielded against the elements. But after a few hours, the boredom was winning.

"42," he thought, "there are 42 creases on this tent."

He readjusted his body to better listen to his surroundings. He could hear the evening breeze sneaking into his tent. A few cheerful, indistinct chatters at a distance. But also, some rustling noises. They were short but appeared in a regular interval. More importantly, however, they were heading towards him. He lazily looked at the entrance. To his surprise, it wasn't Vaike or Stahl. It was the tactician Robin who entered with his dinner.

Magnus frowned and sat up. "You know you don't have to do this, right? I can at least walk to the mess hall."

"That might be so. But we think you deserve some rest, don't you think?" Robin replied knowingly.

Magnus rolled his eyes in defeat. She handed him the warm bowl of soup. Mixed with exotic meats and vegetables. As he tasted it, he caught a glimpse of her walking towards a nearby chair. She grabbed it and sat near him in silence. Her expression was screaming something like, "I have a question for you." Even though he wanted to ignore her, it was clear that she wouldn't leave so easily.

He lowered his half-eaten soup. "What do you want?"

"Why did you lie?"

That question sent chills down his spine. His mind exploded with all sorts of terrible scenarios and contingency plans. But first, he must find out what she meant exactly.

He lightly bit his tongue to steady himself. "What?"

"I have a gut feeling when someone is lying. It's one of my strengths, I suppose," Robin explained, "So why did you lie back then?"

He sighed. There was no way he'd tell her the truth. It was just too surreal, even for him. She'd most likely call him a "spy" and imprison him in the middle of nowhere. Still, she was expecting an answer. An honest answer no less.

Magnus thought for a moment. "Everyone has their secrets. This is one of mine..."

"That's not-"

"…But because you're so damn perceptive, I'll tell you this," he stared into her brown eyes, "I'll never betray Chrom."

It wasn't entirely the truth. But it wasn't a lie. Lucina wouldn't want to save her dead father just so she could stab him in the back later. And he wagered that was what Robin worried about the most. Magnus secretly held his breath. Even though she remained silent, he could see the gears in her head were turning rapidly.

"Alright, I believe you," she stood up, "Then what about the others? Can you promise the same?"

"Sure," he shrugged. But he hurriedly added when he noticed her death glare, "As long as they don't betray Chrom."

He watched Robin closely as she left. A small part of him was rather impressed. But the rest of him was cursing his bad luck. He now had one more person to worry about. Fortunately, this encounter showed that she wasn't entirely infallible. But hiding his mission was one thing. He must also not let slip his past.

As he finalized his _history_ , he heard more footsteps. Though this time, they were lighter and quicker in succession. He groaned annoyingly and lay down again, just in time for Lissa to burst into his tent. He usually wouldn't care that much for a mere medic. But now that he knew she was a Princess, he must try to respect her authority. No matter how much he despised so. She hummed and skipped towards him.

After some probing, she re-covered him and said, "You look much better now. You should be back to your usual self after some rest."

"Then can I leave now?" Magnus asked.

She smiled, "Nope."

"Of course."

Lissa cheerfully left the tent with his empty bowl. After another round of counting creases, he heard someone was outside again. But instead of inviting himself to Magnus's tent, he simply pinned something and left. Magnus became profoundly curious. So much so that he chose to ignore a royalty's order. He sneaked out of his tent to investigate.

"…Huh."

That was all Magnus could utter. It turned out that it was a propaganda poster. In the center, Chrom was proudly holding a scale on one hand and a sword in the other. Light beans shone behind him as he shamelessly showed off his entire naked body. A bold text inscribed under his feet: "Chrom Wants You!"

"What the hell is wrong with these people?" he thought.

He shook his head and returned to his tent. While it was rather tasteless, carelessly removing such an expensive-looking poster would probably cause trouble. Most likely with Frederick, he suspected. He lay on his bed and shut his eyes. But he couldn't sleep. Mainly was because of the commotion outside. Someone was running all over the camp. Tearing down some papers or something. While Magnus wanted to check what was happening, he decided that he's had enough drama for one night.

* * *

Magnus watched uninterestedly as he rested his chin against his hand. In retrospect, it was obvious that they wouldn't choose him as a fighter. In fact, he was quite lucky that he could watch the tournament at all. They were still adamant until he performed hundreds of push-ups, dozens of sit-ups, tens of squats, and a few laps around the camp. He stretched his aching body as he recalled that.

While he didn't understand the occasion, it was evident that this tournament was a momentous event. Thousands have gathered in this large, open arena. From the richest to the poorest. Their cheers muffled all other noises. Their shouts could most likely be heard for miles. To hype the crowds further, they even had an animal fight beforehand. Several warriors fought against a fierce beast. It desperately tried to defend itself with its sharp teeth and claws. But it ultimately fell against their spears. And the crowd's excitement reached a boiling point.

The audience erupted. They all stood up and started chanting their slogans. As one of the esteemed guests, Magnus could see everything from the top VIP box. The gates on either side cranked open. On the East, the six Shepherds appeared and waved at the exhilarated audience. The crowd cheered back, especially at the young, somewhat overwhelmed Prince.

"Look, there's Chrom!" Stahl yelled.

Magnus raised his arm indifferently. "Yay…"

On the West, several mercenaries emerged. They remained silent as their eyes focused solely on the opposing Shepherds. Judging from their strong stances and fancy equipment, Magnus concluded that they were seasoned veterans. But if these Shepherds were as strong as he thought, they shouldn't have any problems.

It was then he saw her. Magnus immediately stood up to get a better view. Without a doubt, it was Lucina. He recognized her sword, armor, mask, and blue hair. But why? Even if she joined by mistake, she should instantly identify her father. And she wouldn't be readying herself like that. It was baffling to him.

After a loud dong, Chrom immediately engaged Lucina. He leaped into the air and delivered a spinning attack. But she blocked it. They exchanged few more blows until she suddenly jumped into the air. Striking the ground like Chrom. They continued to duel as the spectators cheered them on.

Meanwhile, the other Shepherds were fighting against the mercenaries. They were equally fierce but not evenly matched. Under the guidance of Robin, they charged in and disposed of them. Leaving only Lucina.

She might seem equal to Chrom at first glance. But Chrom's strikes were marginally faster and harder. Not to mention that he had help from others. With their combined assault, the Shepherds were eventually declared as the victor.

Once it was over, Magnus excused himself and hurried to a side entrance. He'd had some free time before the tournament started. That exit was the closest to the combatant area, and less used than the others. So he figured that she'd choose it out of caution.

She did. And not without additional precautions. Not only did she cover her distinctive blue hair with a rugged hood, but she also painstakingly surveyed around as she moved. Unfortunately, not many people on the street wore a cloak. Even less so who were trotting directly away from the arena suspiciously. Magnus followed her with ease.

But when they reached the main street, she suddenly took a sharp turn into an alley. Magnus sighed and shook his head. Lucina was more observant than he thought. He slowly entered the alley with his hands up. Unsurprisingly, she was nowhere to be seen.

He nonchalantly turned around. "Hello, Lucina."

"Magnus?" she sheathed her sword, "How did you find me?"

He succinctly explained his situation. But omitted his near-death experience outside of the Temple. Or how he survived at all. While he knew it'd lead to more problems in the future, he didn't need more suspicions. And certainly not from his captain. It was best to only tell her the truth once he figured out what was going on.

"By the way, why did you fight your father? I thought you wanted to protect him." Magnus asked.

"I was discovered while I was searching for the Gemstone. To protect my identity and gain access to the castle, I posed as a sellsword and later became Basilio's champion."

She gazed at the orange sky, "But I suppose my intention wasn't entirely pure. I was also curious about how I'd fare against my father."

"…I see. Then where are the others? I didn't see them during the tournament."

She frowned, "They must've had the same fate as us: scattered both in location and time."

"So it's just us. Great."

He initially thought that'd be his assignment: Blindly looking for her _precious_ companions around the world. But while Lucina very much desired so, she explained that they must focus on something else. In her future, Plegian forces assassinated her aunt Emmeryn. Without her beacon, they had little resistance in conquering most of Ylisse. To make matters worse, Chrom would also be gravely wounded. Ultimately leading to his demise.

Magnus became puzzled, "If that's the case, shouldn't we warn them? Like giving them an anonymous letter or something."

"We don't know who we can trust," she explained, "They might already have accomplices within the palace."

"Then why don't we just warn the Exalt? I'm part of the Shepherds anyway. Putting the letter into her belongings shouldn't be a problem."

Lucina pondered for a moment. "Yes, that could work. Then I'll entrust you with this task."

"Sorry, I…don't know how to write," he said sheepishly, "But we'll be staying in an inn outside the arena tonight. Give me that letter by then."

"Very well. I'll signal you once it's ready."

They elaborated on their plan. If history continued its course, the Mad King Gangrel would soon kidnap Maribelle for the Fire Emblem. Prompting the Shepherds to stage a daring rescue. They'd succeed. But not without triggering the Ylisse-Plegia war. Then they'd retreat to the capital. In theory, both Emmeryn and Chrom would survive. But the Risen didn't appear in her future until much later. Therefore, she'd shadowed them to be on the safe side.

As for Magnus, he'd stay in the palace. He must eliminate any co-conspirators and fortify all possible entry points. Save for a few entrances, however. Since they didn't know the exact number of the assassins, he thought about enlisting some mercenaries. But their dishonest nature might endanger their plan. And it'd be difficult to explain how he knew about the assassination in the first place. Fortunately, Lucina claimed that they'd receive outside help.

The night was closing in. It was time for Magnus to hurry back. But before he exited the alley, he remembered something.

"Back at the Temple, I saw a pale woman with long, green hair. Do you know who she is?"

"You saw Lady Naga?!" Lucina promptly invaded his personal space, "Did she say anything?"

"…No. She was just there when we entered the portal." Magnus replied as he slowly backed away.

She beamed, "She must've given us her blessing!"

"I guess so." he shrugged.

After Lucina left with newfound hope, Magnus sighed deeply. He had enough problems as it is. And now a goddess was against him? And why did she call him "Outrealmer"? Things were a lot more complicated than he'd feared.

* * *

During the way back to Ylisse, Magnus was assigned with weapon maintenance duty. He must ensure that all the swords, bows, and staves could endure against the test of battle. It was a simple task. After all, that was basically all he did during his downtime way back then. But no matter how he polished or oiled the blades, they remained far more brittle than he'd like. As if one could break them after dozens of uses. But that was such a ludicrous idea. He laughed and quickly dismissed it.

Then it was time for the bows and staves. While Lissa has already taught him the basics about staves, he had no experience with bows. Since he's always been a foot soldier, his enemies were almost always within his arm's reach. He might've used various swords or polearms before. But bows were unnecessary to him. As the only archer in the army, Virion was happy to lend his hand. He even offered Magnus an archery lesson. Even though Magnus thought it was pointless, an extra skill might prove beneficial.

"Observe." Virion said as he landed his third arrow close to the bullseye.

He looked at Magnus expectedly. But Magnus said nothing. Time came to a crawl as Magnus focused on his target. He steadily pulled back the bowstring. His mind observed the wind. His breathing slowed down. With a loud thud, he loosed his arrow. It zoomed through the air and over his target. Again.

Virion sighed. "I'd say it's rather peculiar that you have yet to respond to my impeccable training."

"Give me a break. I haven't used a bow for a while." Magnus said.

He shot another arrow. But it hit the grass before his untouched target.

Virion drew another arrow. "You proclaimed to be a hardened mercenary. But you must've encountered fine archers such as myself. How did you respond?"

"Well, like this."

Magnus hurled his dagger. After a few seconds, it pierced deep into his target. But only at its bottom edge.

Virion nodded. "Impressive, albeit inaccurate."

Magnus grumpily replied, "It's not supposed to be thrown. And you try throwing it at this distance."

Virion eagerly accepted the challenge. He borrowed Magnus's dagger and threw it. But after dozens of attempts, Magnus's patience ran out. He retrieved his dirt-coated dagger and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Virion asked.

"Lunch." Magnus answered as he looked at the sun above them.

A shadow gloomed over Virion's face. "Ah…"

"Ah?"

Virion shifted nervously. "Perhaps it'd be best if you skip it."

"I'm fine with anything, really. You'd be surprised what I've eaten during my travels," Magnus scratched his head, "Seriously, how bad can it be?"

* * *

"So…what's this?"

"Beef." Sully said.

Magnus inspected the black object again. If someone told him that was coal, he'd believe it. He gingerly brought his face closer. Only to immediately recoil in disgust. The smell of burnt flesh was far more pungent than he'd hoped. In hindsight, the empty mess hall should've been quite suspicious. Or the occasional bursts of flame in the kitchen. He glanced at the entrance. Some of the Shepherds were peeking from the outside. They looked extremely concerned. Apart from vigorously shaking their heads, Kellam was also mouthing something like, "Don't. Eat. That."

However, Magnus was determined. He closed his eyes and quickly took a bite. His mind immediately shattered into billions of pieces. The _meat_ was hard as charcoal and tasted like one. His mouth burnt from its scorching surface. Yet it remained cold and runny on the inside. He tried to ignore the crunching noises as he chewed. But his eyes still watered like a cascade. After a few more seconds, he realized that sheer willpower wouldn't work. He grabbed a mug of water and attempted to swallow it. But it stuck in his throat instead. A few coughs later, he ejected the dark, slimy substance into his mug.

He shakily wiped his mouth and said calmly, "…that's not beef."

"It _is_ beef." she retorted.

"Sully, I've literally tried all kinds of meat before, and I can tell you: that's _not_ beef."

"Alright then, you son of a griffon," she slammed down her tray of similar dishes onto the table, "What do you think that is?!"

"Anything BUT beef!"

"Milady!" Virion intervened, "Your delicate skin need not such anger. I'm confident that Magnus appreciates your effort in his heart."

"And he's grateful you repaired his armor, right?" Stahl glanced at Magnus.

Magnus gulped down another mug before leaving in silence. From now on, he'd cook his own meal. But during his trip back to his tent, his stomach developed a strange sensation. As if it was holding a massive rock. His first thought was to visit Lissa. But he ultimately trusted his sturdy body. Unfortunately, for the next few days, he'd experience one of the worst stomach pains in his life.


	4. Conspiracy

**Chapter 4: Conspiracy**

**Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is a video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems, published by Nintendo. I do not own any of the material apart from the original characters I created.**

**Special thanks to my beta readers** **ProfSrlojohn and Frost Glaive.**

* * *

It turned out his dining experience had one positive aspect. After they returned to the palace at night time, Magnus exaggerated his ailment to remain behind. Spouting nonsense like needing to frequent the toilet to everyone except Robin. Not only did they promptly accept it, but he was also astonished at how sympathetic they looked. Even the prideful Sully seemed slightly remorseful upon hearing it. He’s been suspecting that these Shepherds were far friendlier than his last unit, and this confirmed it. While their gullibility made his job easier, he sincerely hoped it wouldn’t lead to further trouble in the future.

A few discreet questions and toilet trips later, he hurried towards the Exalt’s room. It was a cosy bedroom which, apparently, oversaw the entire city below. He’d already received Lucina’s letter a while ago. All he needed to do was placing it, preferably on an obvious location like a desk—without being seen or risk blowing his cover. But that proved to be a simple task—Emmeryn was debriefing Chrom and the others down in the throne room. As a result, most of her attendants and guards were absent. And Magnus had little trouble in avoiding those who weren’t.

But before he could enter the room, a woman with short blue hair stepped out. Carrying some sizable luggage in her arms. While Magnus didn’t recognize her, her armour showed she was a senior Ylissean soldier. Magnus immediately tried to slip away. But she was as sharp as she looked.

“Halt! What are you doing here?”

He put out his widest smile. “Hello! I was just looking for the barracks. But I seem to be lost.”

“You’re lost, alright. The barracks is on the other side of the palace.” She placed down the luggage and reached for her hilt. “Who are you?”

“Oh, I just joined the Shepherds a while ago. My name is Magnus. Nice to see—”

“Magnus? Magnus Silver?”

“Yes?” he replied with a hint of concern.

“Someone was looking for you in the city a while ago. A foreign soldier called Captain Irving Tracy. Do you know him?”

Magnus shook his head. “Not really. What did he look like?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only heard it from my subordinates. But they mentioned he was carrying a shield with a white, horned horse…” She stopped. “You look…pale. Are you okay?”

“Y—Yeah. I…just had a stomach pain again. Sully’s cooking is stronger than I thought.”

“Wait. You ATE Sully’s food?”

Magnus nodded. “Like I said, I’m new. Anyway, I don’t think I know your name.”

“Phila,” she said as she shook his hand. “I should go. The Exalt will leave momentarily. I must prepare her belongings before she departs.”

“I…see. Good luck, then.”

Phila grabbed all of the luggage and hurried away. Once she was out of earshot, Magnus shook his head in frustration.

“Fuck.”

That meant two things. Firstly, he realized Emmeryn wouldn’t be able to read the letter in time. The assassination was going to happen right after her return. At best, she’d only notice the letter before her uninvited guests showed up. He paced back and forth for a while. In the end, he tucked the letter deep into this backpack and searched for a fireplace. The message wasn’t going to help. And it’d only remain as a loose end if discovered.

The second was about that captain. Truthfully, he didn’t know who he was. But he could never forget about that emblem. The white unicorn was the symbol of the Pangean Empire—the last kingdom he’d served. It seemed that someone from his world was looking for him. But that was simply impossible. Even if they’d known he’s used the Outrealm Gate, they’d be in that ruinous world rather than here. He explored countless possibilities in his head, and all met a dead end. Eventually, he grew tired of it and went to sleep. Hoping that it’d ease his mind.

But he wouldn’t have a peaceful rest. That night, he dreamt himself standing alone on an ocean of blood. A pitch-black sky surrounded him as a horrifying storm brewed at a distance. As he surveyed around, forty-nine statues emerged from the depth of the bottomless sea. They were featureless. Yet somehow, Magnus could still feel a powerful sense of nostalgia. They radiated warmth like fireplaces in the midst of winter and felt as strong as the forest trees.

Then the storm arrived. It stirred up the crimson sea as waves of tsunamis struck him. Tearing off his skin, bruising his body. But he stood firm. The statues, however, didn’t. One by one, they crumbled before him. Without knowing why, he tried to move or shout. But he could do neither. All he could do was shutting his eyes as the sound of crushing sound deafened him.

When he opened his eyes, the storm has disappeared. Only two figures remained beside him. But now they were as hot as the summer sun, as immovable as the great mountains. For a moment, he felt as if it’d last forever—until a gigantic tornado of dismembered flesh and blood-curdling screams descended upon them. Swallowing the three of them. But it didn’t hurt him like the tides did—it only obscured his vision. Yet his heart still blazed with anxiety. He desperately fought against his invisible shackles. But it was too late.

He fell to his knees. Burying his face into his hands. On this endless space of darkness and blood, he was the only one left.

* * *

Magnus did one final check on his equipment. If Lucina remained correct, tonight would be Emmeryn’s fateful night. He re-sheathed his sharpened blades and packed up the strange concoctions that he’d found in the storeroom. Apparently, they could mend even the most severe wounds in seconds; An absurd claim, undoubtedly, even if he was in a realm of magic. But he’s depleted his healing herbs. And these bottles were much more practical than those fancy staves.

He patrolled a nearby corridor. During his scouting, he’d identified and barricaded several likely entry points. It would’ve been better to lay down some traps as well. But even if he could install the spikes unnoticed, his allies might mistakenly trigger them. Leading to more unnecessary attention. Fortunately, a rather timid shopkeeper in the city had had a shipment of small bronze bells. With some stings and careful placements, Magnus created a rudimentary alarm system around the palace.

As for the accomplices, he couldn’t find any significant collaborators—just some new servants who seemed to care about Emmeryn’s movement a little too much. Even though Magnus has dealt with them, he couldn’t help but think he’s missed something. A conspiracy of such magnitude would require several influential traitors. Though with only a few days he had, he had to make the most of them.

Magnus halted. There was a sound at the end of the corridor. It was faint, but it was certainly one of his small bells. He jogged towards it with his sword in hand. As soon as he exited the corner, a hooded figure hopped into the hallway. Sending a silvery object towards him. It flew in a speed so fast that Magnus only realized it was a knife when it clinked with his armour.

The assassin unsheathed his sword. But Magnus was quicker. He shoved the assassin’s short blade away and kicked his knee into an unnatural angle. The assassin screamed and dropped to the floor. Before he could stand up, Magnus stepped on his neck. The assassin gasped and flailed his limbs. But Magnus simply stamped harder. Typically, this would be the time for an interrogation. Asking questions such as their target, plan, accomplices, and whatnot. But Magnus has already known enough.

He crushed the assassin’s throat.

More bell sounds at a distance; Magnus rushed to the location. Three assassins were standing ready with their swords drawn. Magnus immediately threw his dagger to the furthest assassin. And it landed right between his eyes. When the other assassin turned his head, Magnus has already cut his chest open. The last one swung his blade fiercely. But Magnus parried his strikes and hit his face with the pommel. Causing him to stagger backwards. The assassin tried to retaliate. But he soon found himself covering his neck and writhing lifelessly on the floor.

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the corridor. Rooting Magnus for a moment. Once he was sure it wasn’t thunder, he hurried to investigate. When he peeked through the opened door, he found only dead bodies—dead assassins, to be precise. They were lying around the centre of the moon-lit room. Their refined equipment suggested they were veterans; their horrified faces showed they were caught in a surprise. He presumed it was Lucina. But the cuts were too deep and too precise. He poked his head out of the shattered window. Hoping that he could locate the assaulter. But the courtyard one floor below was empty and silent. Nothing but some deep footprints directly below the window.

“I guess he must be the help she talked about,” he thought.

Then something caught his eye. A vacant area of the courtyard seemed to be distorting. As if the darkness around it was twisting on itself. Folding and tearing in the uncanniest manner. It continued briefly until it suddenly expanded. Revealing a tall, slim figure. His clothes seemed to be a dark, deep V dress. He flickered the purple flame in his hand, and more soldiers appeared out of nowhere. Even some horsemen were amongst them.

He let out manic laughter. “Remember, I want the Emblem in my hand and Emmeryn dead on the floor. Let nothing distract you from either purpose.”

“As you will it, Lord Validar,” A nearby soldier answered before heading towards the palace.

Magnus dashed out of the room. He didn’t know where Emmeryn and Chrom were. But if those Plegians managed to flank their position, it’d be disastrous. Besides, wherever there was a fight, that was where he needed the most. He raced down the stairs and rammed open a courtyard door. Not only did he need to be fast, but he must also distract them.

It did. Validar barked another order to his troops. The two cavaliers immediately galloped towards Magnus, with their lances aiming at his head. Leaving behind a warrior and a mage.

He steadied himself. When one of the horsemen approached, Magnus jumped out of harm’s way at the last moment. The other cavalier thrust his spear. But Magnus sidestepped again. This time, however, he also sliced the horse’s legs off. The rider tumbled onto the ground. A few slashes later, he was dead.

The remaining cavalier returned at a greater speed, eager to avenge his ally. In response, Magnus picked up a spear and threw it. The rider ducked immediately. Unfortunately, it wasn’t aiming at him. His horse fell with a spear sticking out from its body. And he soon suffered the same fate as his friend.

The last of the enemy didn’t fare much better. When the warrior tried to block Magnus’s attack, it turned out to be a feint. He fell with his head barely attaching to his body. The mage blasted something at him. Blowing away the leaves off the floor as it zoomed straight towards Magnus. But Magnus dodged and threw his dagger. Hitting him in the chest.

Then there was a complication.

“SHIT!”

Had Magnus not looked around, his head would’ve been turned into ashes. Even though the fireball only grazed his helmet, he could still feel its intense heat. Validar let out another volley. But it was far easier to evade them once Magnus was aware of them. He darted from side to side as he approached. Finally, Validar was within arm’s range. Magnus swung his sword but hit nothing. He’s simply disappeared. When Magnus finally looked up, a fireball was already upon him.

With only seconds left, Magnus raised his sword instinctively. It worked, somewhat. Most of the spell dispersed as soon as it made contact. But his sword was blasted away. The engulfing flame also flowed through the holes of his helmet, charring his face. His forearms burnt from the scorching heat. But even though his eyes stung just by keeping them open, he still managed to grab his shield. Just in time to block another blast.

Thus began another unrelenting assault. Each strike further burnt his arms. But more importantly, each one of them took longer to hit him than the last. Once the barrage halted long enough, Magnus charged with his shield raised. And knocked the tome off Valdar’s hands. Without a pause, he let out a series of ferocious attacks. A jab. A bash. An uppercut. Evoking a palette of red and purple on the Plegian’s body. When Magnus couldn’t swing his arms anymore, he resorted into choking the life out of him. Even so, Validar was still pulling Magnus’s hands away.

“MAGNUS! GET DOWN!”

Magnus obeyed immediately. Narrowly missing Chrom’s quick slash. His sword cut deep and wide across Validar’s chest. Blood gushed out from his open wound. But miraculously, he was still alive. He stumbled backwards before readying himself for another fight. Seemingly unaffected by it. Until Robin hit his face with a lightning strike.

“No… This is…all wrong… How could…you’ve known the plan…” Validar muttered as he took his last breath.

After confirming he was dead, they rushed towards Magnus.

“Magnus, are you okay?!” Chrom asked.

Magnus panted heavily. “Y—Yeah, not my first time scuffling with someone.”

“That’s a relief.” Robin sighed. “We should check on Emmeryn. The battle should be over soon.”

“Sure. I just need to catch my breath. You two go ahead.” Magnus faked a smile.

He couldn’t be happier when they finally left. The pain in his hands had subsided. But that was because he couldn’t feel his hands anymore. He awkwardly stepped on his scalding gauntlet and pulled. Tearing off some gluey substance in the process. The underlying gambeson has melted away. Revealing patches of dry, leathery, white tissues. Surrounded by deep blisters.

He grimaced as he swung his backpack off from his shoulder. And took out a concoction after several tries. With his forearms gripping the bottle, he carefully emptied it into his mouth. The liquid was watery but tasted like honey. Even before he hurled the bottle away, the blisters were already fizzling away. His leather-dry skin returned to a healthy pink colour. A burning pain intensified briefly before disappearing again. After witnessing such a miracle, he couldn’t help but chuckle. And gulped down another bottle.

After that, Magnus regrouped with the others like nothing happened. They were finishing off the remaining forces when he heard they’ve recruited new members. Curious, he attempted to learn more about it. Though it took him more time than he anticipated.

“Let me confirm what you’ve just said.” Magnus massaged his eyebrows. “So, Chrom has _somehow_ managed to hire two more people DURING the battle, is that right?”

“Yup,” Donnel replied.

“And one of them is a giant killer rabbit who…hates people?”

“Yup. That’s Panne for ya. She’s the last of her race ‘cause of some terrible fellers.”

“So that’s why she called me ‘man-spawn’…” Magnus muttered, “Fine. And the other one was an enemy?”

Donnel fidgeted. “It ain’t as bad as you think. Gaius might be with them at first. But he didn’t want to hurt nobody.”

“That’s a horrible excuse. But I guess Chrom will take just about anyone.”

Magnus shook his head and excused himself. He took a few steps before stopping himself. His eyes wandered from one wall candle to another. After letting a deep sigh, he asked.

“Donnel, one last thing. Are you sure you want to be a Shepherd?”

“Huh?”

“I…know…some people at your age may have trouble adapting to war. I just want to make sure.”

Donnel scratched his head. “Well, it’s kind of scary to fight. But I wanna become stronger. So I can help people, make Ma proud.”

“Yeah, that sounds about what I expected.” Magnus sighed. “Thanks. We’ll talk later.”

Magnus plodded back to his room. He tossed his equipment aside and dropped onto his bed. For some reason, his heart ached whenever he saw that young boy. As if someone stabbed a flaming knife through his chest. He had a hunch why that was the case. But he decided to leave it for now. After all, he’s prevented the assassination. It was time for a well-earned rest.

Or at least, that was the plan—something woke him up in the middle of the night. After confirming it wasn’t the crickets, Magnus focused on the door. It opened with a soft clicking noise. And a figure slipped inside his room. While he couldn’t see the face clearly, the long blue hair was still visible under the dim moonlight.

“Lucina,” he said as he let go of his hilt.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were awake.”

“I wasn’t. Anyway, what do you need?”

“I was going to discuss something. But there’s another matter I must ask first.”

Her tone alarmed Magnus. “Sure? What is it?”

“I saw your battle back in the palace. You were far too reckless. Despite your injuries, you still fight without any consideration of yourself. Just like back in the Temple. Why would you do that?”

Magnus gazed at her blankly. Of all people, she should understand why—he was a soldier. His sole duty was to fight, even in the face of death.

That was all he did. That was all he was.

Still, he couldn’t voice his discontent so directly to his superior. After taking a deep breath, he argued that the enemy was going to flank their position. Had he not distracted them, Emmeryn might not be alive. It took a while, but Lucina eventually sounded convinced. Though it was difficult to tell from the dimly lit room.

In any case, she believed they’d successfully changed the future. The Fell Dragon wouldn’t be resurrected; the calamitous future wouldn’t come to pass. It was time for them to return to her original world. But not without finding her friends first. While she didn’t know where they were, she’d still journey across the world to look for them. No matter how long or difficult it might be.

That plan sent a chill down Magnus’s spine. Even though he hasn’t travelled far, her companions would’ve at least tried to regroup at key locations. Such as Ylisstol—the place where it all began. To him, they were as good as dead. And he wouldn’t submit himself to a wild goose chase. Something had to be done.

“Lucina, this isn’t over yet. Gangrel must be desperate if he needed to do something like this. He’ll try to kill Emmeryn again, and we’ll need to be here if we want to stop it.”

“Then you’re suggesting we should stay?”

“Yes. At least, until he’s dead.”

She went silent for a moment. “…I see. Your concern isn’t entirely unfounded.”

Magnus fist-pumped in his head.

After a brief discussion, they concluded that they’d shadow the Shepherds for now. Magnus would stay with them in the open while Lucina remained in the shadow. She’d also try to find a way to kill Gangrel if possible. Though protecting Chrom and Emmeryn remained as her top priority.

There was nothing more to discuss afterwards. Lucina opened the door and left. Disappearing without a trace. As for Magnus, he shoved a chair against the door before heading back to sleep.


	5. No Respite

**Chapter 5: No Respite**

**Disclaimer: Fire Emblem is a video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems, published by Nintendo. I do not own any of the material apart from the original characters I created.**

**Special thanks to my beta reader Eretein.**

* * *

"You should've thought of that before attacking us," Magnus mused as he wiped his bloodied dagger.

After the assassination attempt, Magnus had proven himself to be ready. He followed the Shepherds to relocate the Exalt elsewhere—to a castle a few hundred miles north called the Eastern Palace. It wasn't more secure. In fact, it was more of a royal holiday home as far as Magnus was concerned. But the unannounced departure would shake the enemy off their back, giving them some breathing room before Chrom could return with Ferox's reinforcement.

Even so, Emmeryn was still reluctant. She believed the new Plegia-Ylisse war was upon them. And the last thing she needed was being away from the capital—unable to lead her people. If it wasn't for the others' insistence—particularly Chrom—she wouldn't have left at all.

They moved out under cover of darkness—around midnight on a chilly Autumn night.

The Shepherds escorted Emmeryn alongside with her mounted bodyguards through the vacant streets of Ylisstol. Once they were outside of the capital, they began chatting again. Surprisingly, the mood around the convoy wasn't entirely grim. Even with her own death looming over her, Emmeryn still managed to keep the morale high. She spoke to everyone, sharing their concerns and radiating a gentle presence. It was a stark difference from the cold and haughty queen that Magnus was used to.

Chrom, however, was less relaxed. He kept checking the surroundings, moving back and forth from the front of the convoy to his elder sister again. It seemed his mind was still burdened by last night event. He might've been laughing and chatting like his sister. But Magnus wondered how much of it was genuine.

Everything changed when they reached Breakneck Pass. Aside from most people being exhausted, they had some difficulties navigating around. It was a narrow road at the side of a mountain. One misstep would send them falling to a river several miles down. There was only one way in and out—a perfect place for an ambush.

As such, Magnus wasn't shocked when the Plegian soldiers showed up. Their flying knights descended from the sky. Their leader started shouting obscenities at Chrom.

Chrom hurried to rally the others while Robin organised the defence. But during the initial chaos, Magnus noticed someone left the group. It was the Hierarch—a lifelong family _friend_ of Emmeryn's. He confabbed with the enemy commander before being cut down. Even though the Shepherds seemed oblivious of it, Magnus now knew who the traitor was.

With Phila guarding Emmeryn at the back, they moved out to face the enemy. The plan was simple enough: advance eastward and kill whoever stands in their way. While the enemy had the element of surprise, the Shepherds had Robin. She gave effective and concise commands to the troops, making the battle less challenging. But Chrom was much fiercer than before. He flailed his blade and often charged forward without support. Magnus believed Chrom could still gauge the situation well. Though his actions were causing Magnus and, undoubtedly, Lucina quite concerned.

However, that wouldn't be his only worry. As they battled against the remaining forces, a friendly pegasus knight appeared from behind. She almost crashed into the ground when she regrouped with them. Since Magnus was at the front, he didn't know what that was about. He'd be sure to ask about it after he finished checking the bodies.

Magnus sheathed his dagger and found Kellam standing behind him. Curiously, his large orange-tinted armour remained pristine—no dents or any scratches. Had Magnus not seen him hurling a javelin at an enemy, he would've thought he'd just woken up.

"Kellam."

"You can still see me?" He seemed startled.

Magnus sighed. "Yes. It's actually quite difficult _not_ to see you. You can almost block the entire corridor."

"It's just that…no one ever notices me."

"They're probably just playing with you. Anyway, you need something?"

Kellam paused. "Robin is talking about our next move. We should join them."

"Sure."

They were halfway towards the group when Kellam decided to ask an irksome question.

"So…did he surrender?"

Magnus sighed in his head. To him, they needed to get to the Eastern Palace as soon as possible. Any prisoners would only hinder them, presuming they wouldn't try to be disruptive. He was doing them a favour. But he doubted Kellam would appreciate it.

"No," Magnus replied.

Chrom was in a heated conversation with Emmeryn when they arrived. He was begging her not to leave, saying her trip was suicidal. But his pleas fell on deaf ears. Magnus became even more confused. But what baffled him the most was the ornamental shield Chrom was holding. It bore some strange inscriptions and four empty slots, with a golden-white jewel sitting at the top. Because the Fire Emblem was the Ylissean national treasure, it seemed reckless to bring it here.

"Stahl, what is going on?" Magnus murmured.

He whispered back, "Gangrel has taken his army across the border. They're less than a day away from us. Chrom wants to keep moving. But Emmeryn insists to go back to Ylisstol."

"Okay… Then who's that crying girl over there?"

Stahl's expression changed. "That's Cordelia. She was at the border with her knight-sisters when it happened. Poor woman. She's the only survivor."

"I see."

Magnus weighed his options. Both Emmeryn and Chrom were important. However, his foremost duty was to protect Emmeryn. Even if he escorted her back to the capital, Lucina would still watch over Chrom from the shadows.

"Chrom," Magnus interrupted, "I have a suggestion. Why don't I follow her Grace to make sure everything is okay?"

Phila stepped between Emmeryn and Magnus. "This is highly unorthodox. My pegasus knights are more than capable."

"I'm sure. But having an extra sword never hurts, does it? And it can give Chrom more reassurance."

Frederick frowned. "What are your intentions this time?"

"To protect the Exalt? Look, Chrom has more than enough men to go to Ferox. And like I've said, I'm pretty good at fighting. That should've been obvious after what happened in the palace."

Frederick glanced at Robin. She nodded in response.

Chrom pondered for a moment. "Alright. Magnus, you can go with Emm. Please guard her well."

Magnus nodded. "I swear, I'll protect her with my life."

"Thank you. I'll entrust you with this."

* * *

After their tearful departure, Emmeryn and her bodyguards headed straight back to the capital. Knowing the gravity of the situation, they didn't want to waste any time at all. The knights zoomed through the air while the carriage bumped along the gravel road.

However, the journey was quiet too. Everyone seemed to be more preoccupied with reaching the capital in time. Sometimes, Magnus could hear murmurs from the others. Some comforting words amongst the knights that everything would be alright. But whether they actually believed it or not, was debatable.

As for Magnus, he was sitting beside Phila in the driver's seat. She was driving the carriage while her mount galloping from behind. Ever since they left the Shepherds, they haven't said anything. Neither Magnus nor Phila were great conversationalists. But there was a strange, powerful discomfort between them. As if she was keeping her guard up against him. Magnus responded with utter indifference. If they can reach the capital, he didn't need to know why.

Eventually, Phila broke the silence.

"You weren't _just_ a mercenary, were you?" she said as her eyes still focused on the road.

"What do you mean?"

"I asked my subordinates more about that captain. They said he was looking for a fugitive. A war criminal." She seemed to emphasize on the last part.

"Is that so?" He bit his tongue. "I've made a lot of enemies in my travels. He's probably just one of them. Did he have any proof?"

"No. That's why I didn't say anything." She swung the reins again. "But why would he do that? Why would he make such a lie?"

"How should I know? Why don't you ask him yourself?"

They argued for a while. Phila insisted he was hiding something, to which Magnus adamantly denied. In the end, she gave up when he started deflecting whatever questions she asked.

Then he realized something was off.

"Phila, is this the main road to the capital?"

"Yes. What about it?" she groaned, unaware of what he meant.

Magnus surveyed the road again. They might be at war with Plegia. But any major route should still be bustling with activity. Merchants, farmers, travellers and whatnot still need to continue their livelihoods, even if on a smaller scale. But there wasn't even a single bird sound.

"…Stop the con—"

"LOOK!" Someone from the vanguard shouted.

The capital was burning. Flickers of flame shot out from the houses. Pillars of smoke filled the city for as far as they could see—including the white castle above the hill. On the streets below, a few people were running away. Only to be hunt down by groups of armed men. If they were closer, Magnus was sure they'd hear their screams.

Sensing her carriage has stopped, Emmeryn peeked outside. Her concerned face turned into sheer horror. She didn't utter any words. But everyone knew exactly what to do. They charged towards the city at an even greater speed, kicking up clouds of dust as the wind zoomed past them. The smell of smoke and burnt flesh intensified. Magnus grabbed his shield and put on his helmet. There was no way of knowing how long they've been there. If the enemy was smart, they would've understood the nature of Emmeryn and has already prepared an ambush.

That was precisely what happened.

The vanguard fell under a hail of arrows. After a loud horn sound, the enemy emerged from the back and the side, surrounding them immediately. The soldiers raised their weapons before charging at them.

Phila jumped onto her Pegasus. "PROTECT THE EXALT!"

The knights roared in unison. They divided themselves into an outer and inner defensive ring. The former would fly around while the latter would stay around the carriage.

Magnus hopped off the carriage and stayed with the inner ring. He would've preferred to be at the front line. But his priority was protecting Emmeryn. However, part of him was glad that was the case. The outer ring didn't last very long.

Magnus readied himself against a horde of enemies. In one swift motion, he killed two and pushed the third one away. The warrior retaliated. But Magnus shield-bashed into his throat. A javelin whistled through the air, landing mere inches away from him. He pulled it out from the ground and swung, slashing someone's eyes.

When Magnus glanced away, he was shoved to the ground. A soldier as heavily armoured as Kellam stood over him. He brought down his spear. But Magnus blocked it and scratched his heavy helmet with his sword. The soldier stumbled a bit, allowing Magnus to invert his sword and repeatedly smash his head with the cross-guard. His head turned into a mangled mess. More soldiers lunged at him. But the nearby knights immediately cut them down.

The battle lasted less than an hour. Of the initial thirty bodyguards, only six remained. Phila regrouped everyone around the carriage. She was going to mount one last defence. But not everyone would be staying. She yelled something to a nearby knight, and she took off immediately. Unfortunately, the Plegians noticed it. They released a wave of arrows. Magnus raised his shield, blocking any incoming arrows. He could see more arrows were coming. So he hid behind his shield.

What he didn't see, however, was the running pegasus knight above him. Both she and her mount took several arrows to their bodies. And crash-landed straight onto Magnus.

* * *

It took Magnus one concoction to fully awake himself. And another one to feel the pain all over his body.

With the newfound strength, he tried to push the carcass away again. It didn't budge. But he was able to slide underneath it. His body ached as he moved. After a few moments, he was finally free. He looted another concoction from a nearby body before dropping onto the ground, gawking at his legs as they snapped back into place.

"The Exalt!"

He almost tripped over the bodies to get close to the carriage. To his relief, it was mostly undamaged. Its inside only showed a minimal sign of struggle. But more importantly, there wasn't any blood.

Magnus sighed. "They took Emmeryn alive. Good."

He rested beside the carriage and observed the aftermath. Plegians and Ylisseans alike littered everywhere. The gust of wind filled the empty silence and brought the stench of blood and flesh in its path. A few vultures landed away from him, grunting and hissing on top of the bodies, seemingly pleased with the scenery. He didn't see Phila's body. But he was sure it was somewhere underneath her knights.

The moment he closed his eyes, he returned to that wretched battlefield again. The warm, yellow sun beamed at the massacre below. Legions of bodies overlaid the dark soil, under the broken siege engines, and on top of the crumbling city walls—all smeared by blood and mud. There wasn't any sound in the city. Its previous occupants were all but eliminated.

The few souls remaining outside were either wailing in the dirt or scavenging around for loot. Magnus did neither—he was clenching onto a mutilated soldier—his friend. He remembered not doing anything. Nothing dramatic like yelling or crying. Just watching his friend as he took his last breath.

"So it's all happening again." His sombre thought turned into dry laughter. "At least the fields are going to be very fertile."

He stopped laughing and sighed.

"I'm still alive. That's all it matters."

Suddenly, the birds dispersed and flew towards him. He immediately hid behind the carriage. From there, he spotted two Plegian soldiers wandered towards him. Each held a bloodied spear in their hands. Their eyes darted from one body to another. Every so often, they'd halt and stab a motionless body.

When they came near the carriage, Magnus grabbed one of them and held him with his dagger. The other one pointed his spear at Magnus with his trembling hands. But Magnus was rather unperturbed by it.

"Drop it," Magnus said.

The soldier hesitated at first. But he immediately dropped his spear when Magnus drew some blood.

Magnus smiled. "Good."

He slit his throat and threw the dying man towards the soldier. Before he could react, Magnus punched him in the face. His nose shattered. Magnus figured they belonged to the same unit. So any information they shared would be the same. As such, one was enough.

As Magnus couldn't find any rope, he made some deep cuts across his calves. The soldier screamed. But Magnus slapped him quiet.

Magnus knelt next to him. "The Exalt. Where is she?"

He spat in Magnus's face. "I ain't saying nothing, Ylissean dog!"

Magnus calmly wiped his face before punching him in the stomach, causing him to vomit whatever he had for breakfast. It was normal to have some defiance. Given enough time, that'd disappear. But Magnus had little time.

"Right. Here's how it's going to work." Magnus brandished his dagger. "I'm going to ask questions. And you're going to answer them."

* * *

Fortunately, it didn't take as long as he'd feared. Emmeryn was kept in a stronghold called the Plegia Castle—located at the heart of Plegia. According to the Plegian soldier, Gangrel planned to execute her for the crimes of her late father. As the journey would take at least a week, he died thinking Magnus was already too late.

After securing a fast horse from an abandoned stable, Magnus rode as fast as he could. It took him four days to reach the castle. During that time, he only stopped when his horse had to—for sleeping, foraging, and toileting. Tiredness and hunger crept towards him without a halt. So much so that he would've fallen from his horse if he'd shut his eyes.

The lush grass underneath shifted into dry sand. His waterskin was depleting to a dangerous level. It was almost a relief when he saw the castle. Its size was on par with the Ylisstol castle. Its garrison was, undoubtedly, sizable as well. Magnus would have to sneak in at night. And not without a disguise.

First, he must hide his armour. After stumbling around for a while, he hid it about a mile outside the main castle entrance—under some rocks on a nearby hillside. It was a trick he's learnt in his army days—hide the equipment along the likely exit path. That way, he could retrieve his armour when he leaves.

As for the disguise, it was a simple matter. There was always one guard who would wander too far away. After a few trial and error, he finally found a suitable Plegian armour.

However, it wasn't a perfect disguise. The armour was a bit baggy. His accent was distinctly foreign. Not to mention, he didn't look like a Plegian at all. Luckily, a supply convoy was heading towards the castle. With the number of guards it had, he could blend in with only a few misdirections. Such as throwing a rock. Both away and at the guards in some instances. He pulled his helmet down as he passed the gate and arrived at the castle courtyard.

After _graciously_ helping himself with the provisions, he listened to their conversations. They were celebrating the capture of the Exalt. Cheers, ales and dances were everywhere. They toasted to their swift victory, to their _great_ king. Many believed the war was already at its end. They'd finally have their revenge.

Eventually, they revealed what he was after. Magnus paced towards a heavy door in the castle, and down into the dungeon. Its layout was depressingly familiar. Lines of torches were placed sparingly along the dank corridors. Giant rats occupied every dark corner. He initially thought the security would be tight. But it turned out they weren't expecting any intruders at all. The few prison guards presented were either drinking out of their minds or sound asleep. He almost felt sorry when he choked them into death.

He finally located her at the lowest level. She was sitting on her bed, meditating peacefully. Her yellow-green robe was dirtied by mud and sand. But she was still emanating a sense of warmth and hope. Magnus tapped the bars to get her attention. While she was surprised to see him, she wasn't very thrilled either.

Magnus decided to ignore that for now. "Your Grace, I'm here to get you out."

"But the guards—"

"Don't worry. I've taken care of them." He waved his chain of keys.

"Where's Phila? And the other knights?"

Magnus tried another key. "They're dead."

He immediately regretted saying it.

"Look, we can mourn them later." He opened the door. "We need to get out of here."

He almost had to pull her out of her cell. She plodded silently behind him. Her head was lowered in dejection. As they climbed the stairs, his mind raced for an escape plan. He thought about disguising her as another soldier. But he discarded that idea. No armour would fit her build, and she wasn't in the mood of pretending. In the end, the supply wagon was his only option. He'd hide her inside it and drove to Ferox. As for the logistics or how they could get out in the first place, he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

"You seem to hold little regards to lives," she said.

"With respect, I'm a soldier. I don't need to care about that," he whispered as he peeked around a corner. To his relief, they were still alone.

"Is that why you're a war criminal?"

He halted. His breathing hastened as he clenched his fist. They were deep inside enemy territory, and she cared about that?

He exhaled slowly. "This is _really_ not the time—"

"I heard what Phila said. She was correct, wasn't she?"

They were just one floor below ground. Out of a nearby cell window, the sound of celebration had ceased—replaced by indistinct murmurs. Several soldiers were running outside the gate. As if they've spotted something disconcerting. He was running out of time. But her expression showed she demanded an answer.

"Fine!" Magnus yielded. "I've done…things in the past. Necessary…but vile things. I guess that's what they're after."

He prepared himself for a barrage of foul words. But she didn't show any hint of judgement. Rather, sympathy.

"My father was similar," she said, "He began a war that almost destroyed Ylisse. When he passed away, I aspired to regain forgiveness from my people. It was a long journey. But eventually, they did."

She caressed his face. "It's never too late to seek redemption."

He flapped her hand away and chuckled. "Oh, I don't know about that. Look, we REALLY need to—"

An alarm echoed throughout the castle, causing the soldiers to scrabble into every direction. Magnus tugged Emmeryn to a corner and groaned. Their chance of escape was plummeting. But he wasn't ready to give up just yet.

He hid Emmeryn behind some barrels. "Stay here. I'll come back as soon as I can."

"What do you plan to do?"

He grabbed a torch close by. "Misdirections."

Magnus controlled his breathing as he left the dungeon. A few soldiers were dashing towards him—nearly rammed into him. One of them tripped on his untied greave. He crashed onto the ground in a loud, clanking noise. But he pushed himself up before rushing away, babbling something about harsh punishments and death. Magnus ha to force himself to relax before going outside.

As he stepped into the courtyard, his only plan was to set fire to all but one wagon. While they were trying to save their supplies, he'd use that chance to get Emmeryn out. Without a doubt, it was a terrible plan. But that was all he could think of.

But before he could approach a wagon, he spotted a strange woman. She seemed to be a person of authority judging from the other soldiers' expressions. But her outfit suggested otherwise. Her clothes left little for the imagination. Her body was decorated with patterns of purple tattoos. She immediately noticed Magnus and beckoned him to come forward.

Magnus was, to say the least, reluctant.

He turned around and receded. His stroll evolved into a sprint. The soldiers tried to tackle him but failed. He almost reached the castle until something hit him. It was a sensation that was all too familiar.

Magnus thought as he twitched on the ground, "N—Not…again—n…"

Someone rolled him over with a foot. It was that woman, holding a tome.

"My, aren't you a feisty one?" She grinned. "We're going to have so much fun together."

They threw him to the other side of the dungeon—to the darkest pit they could find. If Magnus hasn't experienced this before, he would've been driven mad within a few days. He tried to eavesdrop as much as possible, gathering whatever information he could. But they were mostly just nonsensical gossips. Sometimes, that woman would visit him. He'd later learned her name was Aversa. And that she had a twisted sense of humour.

However, there was one peculiar incident. While Magnus was feigning asleep, he noticed a soldier was pacing back and forth outside his cell. The light from his torch obscured his face. Though he looked just like any other soldiers. It only lasted for a few seconds. But long enough for Magnus to notice.

Days passed. There was no news about a rescue. About the Shepherds, about Lucina. When he heard they were going to execute Emmeryn, his heart sank. But he became hopeful when the sound of swords clashing and shouting permeated outside. It was the Shepherds. They were going to rescue Emmeryn and, hopefully, him as well. But that hope dwindled as the noises diminished.

That didn't deter him though. He knew sooner or later, however brief, they'd let their guard down. When that happened, he'd escape his prison and regroup with the Shepherds. Even if he couldn't, At least Emmeryn was safe.

That was until he heard she was dead.


End file.
